Customer Reviews

Hellboy: Oddest Jobs

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It is a benchmark achievement when you go from paying homage to the people you praise to people praising you. It also says a lot about what you have become, and especially so in the written medium. In one of Mignola's forays he speaks about himself as a writer, saying that he has never seen himself as much of one because he talks though pictures and pieces of prose. Well, if having people talk about you is the highest form of praise, Mignola obviously missed the row of people speaking in a tongue he himself penned.

When it comes to these books, I normally stay in the shadows because I like the reads but I do not like what some authors make Hellboy out to be. A brute, a romantic, a devilman - in the beginning nobody really understood what Mignola was aiming for. The may have held Ragna Rok in their hand and heard the words of the Ogdru Jihad, but they failed to see the dichotomous existence of a being trapped in a place such as Anung Un Rama. This fault started to end with the teaming of Del Toro and Mignola on the all-seeing screen, however, and now pens have begun to drip stories that are quality and then some.

If you want to know what I mean by that, simply look at the line-up of people in this book. Here you have witchery in its greatest form taking place, causing many a solid reader to lose hours because they want that extra page. Keene, Braunbrock,Mieville - when I saw Mieville in the list I was sold right away. Then you have Nix, Bruen, Williams, Hambly, Volk, Hughes, and Winslow rounding out the bunch and making a great book if I do say so myself. Each writer brings a different feel to the story of Hellboy and each writer brings a different taste of as life strange enough to earn the title "odd," too, making the read different from chapter to chapter.
What is it all about? Well, it is about what all things a'Hellboyish are about. Livin' the life paranormal.

If you are familiar with Hellboy and want a good read, have a jab at some of the stuff here. The shorts are fun and freakish, fresh and pollinated with tastes, and one cannot help but like them. This is not to say they move Hellboy forward in any real fashion - honestly, why would they? Still, readers know how these things go: if you have Mignola at the helm then things can really transpire and sometimes this means dire business. Still, having someone tell you about encounters with Hellboy is like having Chris Carter open a fresh can of X-files, paint the world a shade he isn't allowed to because he still has rules to follow, and say, "that is what being HIM is all about."
So, if you want to learn Hellboy then this isn't a school and if you want to watch the best in the business you are not seeing Mignola dance his wanton dance. You are seeing some of the best pens churn out ballads and fever dreams, however, and it is in the fever dreams that beautiful things occur. Much like Lovecraft saw people, including Mignola, want to continue on with portions of a mythos he started, Mignola now sees it happening and hopefully he likes it.
I know I have become addicted to watching this thing grow.
Recommended to all but newcomers (you should start in the starting places - you'll thank yourself for it later).

I read these books awhile ago but thought I'd go back and give them a quick review. I like all 3 books and I think most Hellboy fans will enjoy them. Like the comics these books have a great blend of Horror, Sci Fi, Fantasy and Humor. Here are a few of favorite and least favorite stories in the books.

ODD JOBS:
Jigsaw is dark, creepy and just weird enough to be great. I actually recommend reading that one last because it was my favorite in all 3 books. Delivered is the lightest and funniest story of all 3 books.

ODDER JOBS:
I only remember wanting to skip one story in this book, Water Music. I found the story boring and I didn't understand why it was happening. I actually skipped the end which I never do. However this is the best book of the 3, because it's got so many good stories in it, even though my two favorite stories are in Odd Jobs.

ODDEST JOBS:
I only remember wanting to skip one story in this one as well, Second Honeymoon. I found that story confusing and boring. I liked the first 2 books better but this one still has enough good stories in it to be worth picking up.

This book seemed like an interesting premise, but I wasn't in love with the execution. Most of the stories seemed to lack the spirit of Hellboy. The opening story by Joe Lansdale is the lone exception. His story is in a league beyond all of the others. It might be worth buying this book entirely for this alone. I thought China Mieville's story was clever and interesting, and there were a few stories that I thought were kind of okay from Ken Bruen, Brian Keene, Garth Nix, & Don Winslow. The rest of the stories just kind of made me sad, a few made me think the authors had never read the comic book, and at least two made me feel that the authors might owe me an apology.

I should give this two stars, but I will give it three entirely for Lansdale's sake.

For Hellboy lovers everywhere. Short entertaining adventures with our favorite red investigator.
Well written, with the usual dry humor of Hellboy.